Fluid containers



Feb. 8, 1966 J, H T 3,233,783

FLUID CONTAINERS Filed Feb. 26, 1965 I I I /9 g /0& m

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F76. l0 INVENTQR MICHAEL TLORNTON ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,233,783 FLUID C(BNTAENERS Michael J. Thornton, Langley, Slough, Engiand, assignor of one-half to Graviner Manufacturing Company Limited, and one-bait to Wilkinson Sword Limited, both of London, England, both British'conipanies Filed'Feb. 245, 1963, Ser.No. 260,983 7 Claims. (Cl. ZZZ-83) This invention relates to fluid containers.

The invention will be described in respect of its application to containers for fire extinguishants such as fire extinguishing liquids and powders whose structure is such that they can flow like a liquid. However, it is to be clearly understood that the invention is applicable to containers for fluids other than fire extinguishants.

According to the present invention there is provided a fluid container comprising a fluid reservoir, a hand grip by which the container can be held when its contents are to be discharged, said hand grip being mounted on the upper end of the reservoir and having a fluid passage therein which terminates in a discharge orifice at the upper end of said hand grip, and an operating lever pivotally mounted at its lower end and pivotable towards said hand grip for placing the reservoir in communication with said fluid pasasge to eifect discharge of the container contents.

' The invention also provides a fluid container comprising a fluid reservoir, 21 hand grip mounted on the top of the reservoir, a discharge orifice, frangible sealing means normally sealing said discharge orifice from said reservoir, a plunger movable transversely across the upper endv of the container for fracturing said frangible means, and an operating lever pivotally mounted at its lower end which is coupled to said plunger, said operating lever being pivotable towards said hand grip for effecting the transverse movement of said plunger which fractures said frangible means.

There is further provided by the invention a fluid container comprising a fluid reservoir, a hand grip having a base mounted on the top of the reservoir, said hand grip being readily detachable from said reservoir for replenishment or replacement of the latter and having a fluid passage which terminates in a discharge orifice, a sealing member for sealing said reservoir from said fluid passage prior to discharge of said container, an operating lever pivotally mounted at its lower end upon the hand grip base, and a plunger movably mounted in said hand grip base and coupled to said operating lever for movement thereby to unseal said sealing member.

One construction of fluid container for fire extinguishant, will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional side elevation of the fire extinguisher; and

FIGURE 2 is a front elevation of the extinguisher.

Referring to the accompanying drawings it will be seen that the fire extinguisher comprises a fluid reservoir It) formed from metal tube and provided with pressed or forged metal ends 1%, 19b. As an alternative (not shown) the container could be formed from two similar members formed by deep drawing or flow turning and joined by brazing or welding. Secured to the upper end a is a cup-shaped member 19c which is screw threaded to receive the screw-threaded end portion 11d of an operating head 11. An O-ring seal 12 is trapped between the lower end of the screw-threaded end portion 11d and the adjacent surface of the cup-shaped member we,

so that when the head 11 is tightened onto the container end 10a the O-ring seal 12 is compressed to form a pressure-tight seal between the container 10 and head 11. A

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discharge tube 13 extends downwardly from a closure member 14 which is screwed into a screw-threaded hole 10d in the cup-shaped member 100, a metal or other seal 15 being trapped between the closure member 14 and the adjacent inner surface of the member 106. The closure member 14 has a frangible seal 14a closing the outlet from the discharge tube 13. The seal 14a has a weakened portion 14b which is sheared by sideways move ment of a plunger 16 when it is desired to discharge the extinguisher.

The plunger 16 is moved to the left hand side (as viewed in FIGURE 1) to shear-off the seal 14a by movement of a lever 17 towards the hand grip portion 11a of the head 11. The pivoting of lever 17 about its pivot 18 causes clockwise movement of the integral arm 17a to give the required movement of the plunger 16. This movement of the plunger 16 also opens a secondary seal formed by an O-ring or resilient washer 19 mounted on the right-hand end of the'plunger 16, thereby placing a discharge passage 11b in the interior of the head 11 in communication with the interior of the container 10. The plunger 16 is provided with an O-ring 20 to form a seal between the plunger 16 and the bore 11c in the head 11 and thus prevent escape of liquid through the bore 110.

The fluid contents of the container 10 are under pressure so that when the lever 17 is moved inwardly towards the hand grip 11a the contents flow through the discharge passage 11b so long as the lever 17 remains pressed against the hand grip 11a. A return spring 21 restores the lever 17 to its initial position when the hand grip 17 is released, the plunger 16 thereby being displaced once more to the right hand side (as viewed in FIGURE 1). In this position the washer 19 seals the lower end of the discharge passage 11b and further escape of fluid is prevented until such time as the lever 17 is once again moved towards the hand grip 11a.

The discharge passage 11b is connected to a flow tube 22 of plastic which extends upwardly through the hand grip 11a to a discharge nozzle 23 at the upper end of the hand grip 11a. The discharge nozzle 23 is of tapering flattened cross-section and is downwardly directed.

The efiective'area of the seat against which the righthand end of plunger 16 normally rests is almost the same area as the cross-sectional area of the plunger 16. This minimises the fluid forces acting longitudinally upon the plunger 16 and tending to move the plunger 16 to the left when discharge is taking place, thereby enabling the return spring 21 who of low strength.

The flow tube 22 is only required if the hand grip 11a is of two moulded parts, and can be dispensed with if a fluid-tight passage is provided within the hand grip 11a. The flow tube (or fluid-tight passage) has a high length-to-diameter ratio, which is preferably at least 25:1 and this has been found to smooth out turbulence which might otherwise be caused by the sudden change in direction of flow at the inlet to the discharge passage 1117. It is believed that the smoothing out of turbulence results in laminar flow conditions; in the case of liquids at low boiling point this reduces the tendency of the liquids to break up and to boil on leaving the nozzle 23.

The nozzle 23 includes a choke portion (or restriction) 23a which controls discharge time without interfering with smooth flow. The size of the opening in the choke portion 23a can be selected to give a desired discharge time. The abrupt change in cross-sectional area of the interior of the nozzle 23 following the choke 23a has a cooling effect upon the liquid due to its sudden expansion. This is desirable when the liquid has a relatively low boiling point.

The tapering duck-bill like shape of the nozzle 23 is designed to produce a narrow-angle horizontal fanshaped spray pattern which is particularly effective for fire extinguishing when using liquid extinguishants of low boiling point, for example BCF.

It will be understood that when it is desired to replace a wholly or partly spent container 10, the head 11 is unscrewed and a new container complete with integral frangible seal 14a is screwed to the operating head 11 ready for further use.

A removable safety pin (not shown) may be used to prevent movement of the handle 17 prior to withdrawal of the safety pin. extinguisher has been operated a rupturable seal 24 may be provided which is punctured by the tapered left hand end of plunger 16 when the latter is displaced.

Ic'laim:

1. Fluid containing and dispensing apparatus comprising in combination, a fluid reservoir, a hand grip having a base mounted on the top of said reservoir, said hand grip being in screw-threaded engagement with said reservoir whereby said hand grip is readily detachable from said reservoir for replacement of the reservoir, said hand grip having a fluid passage therein which terminates in a discharge nozzle, a frangible sealing member fixed to the top of said reservoir for sealing said reservoir from said fluid passage prior to desired discharge of said container, an operating lever pivotally mounted upon the hand grip base, said lever having an actuating rod attached thereto, and a plunger, said plunger having an aperture for receiving an upwardly extending portion of the frangible sealing member, said hand grip base having a plunger receiving bore lying substantially parallel to the top of said fluid reservoir, said plunger being mounted in said bore for reciprocal movement, said plunger having a further aperture for receiving said actuating rod to engage and slidingly move said plunger in said plunger receiving bore upon pivotal movement of said operating lever whereupon said upwardly extending portion of the frangible member is broken to unseal said fluid reservoir.

2. Fluid containing and dispensing apparatus comprising in combination, afluid reservoir, a hand grip having a base mounted on the top of said reservoir, said hand grip having a fluid passage therein which terminates in a discharge nozzle, a frangible sealing member fixed to the top of said reservoir for sealing said reservoir from said fluid passage prior to desired discharge of said container, an operating lever pivotally mounted upon the hand grip base, said lever having an actuating rod attached thereto, and a plunger, said plunger having an aperture for receiving an upwardly extending portion of the frangible member, said hand' grip base having a plunger receiving bore substantially parallel to the top of said fluid reservoir in which said plunger is mounted for reciprocal movement, said plunger receiving bore having a valve seat engageable by said plunger for sealing To provide an indication that the,

said fluid passage, said plunger having a further aperture for receiving said actuating rod to engage and slidingly move said plunger in said plunger receiving bore upon pivotal movement of said operating lever whereby said plunger is disengaged from said valve seat and said upwardly extending portion of the frangible member is broken to unseal said fluid reservoir.

3. A fluid container according to claim 2, wherein said fluid passage is of circular cross-section and has a lengthto-diam-eter ratio of at least 25: 1.

4. A fluid container according to claim 2, wherein said hand grip has an upwardly extending portion leading at its upper end into a forwardly directed portion which terminates in said discharge nozzle.

5. Fluid containing and dispensing apparatus comprising in combination, a fluid reservoir, an upwardly extending hand grip having a base mounted on the top of said reservoir, said hand grip having an upwardly extending fluid passage therein which terminates in a discharge nozzle, a frangible sealing member fixed to the top of said reservoir for sealing said reservoir from said fluid passage prior to desired discharge of said container, an operating lever pivotally mounted upon the hand grip base and movable towards said hand grip, said lever having an actuating rod depending therefrom, and a plunger, said plunger having a first aperture for receiving an upwardly extending portion of the frangible member, said hand grip base having a plunger receiving bore lying substantially parallel to the top of said fluid reservoir in which said plunger is mounted for reciprocal move ment, said plunger having a second aperture for receiving said actuating rod to engage and slidingly move said plunger in said plunger receiving bore upon movement of said operating lever towards said hand grip for breaking said upwardly extending portion of the frangible member to unseal said fluid reservoir.

6. A fluid container according to claim 5, wherein said nozzle is of non-circular cross-section.

7. A fluid container according to claim 5, wherein said discharge nozzle is preceded by a fluid choke, whereby in the case of liquid discharge the expansion of the liquid leaving the choke has a cool-ing effect upon the liquid.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,640,511 8/1927 Merz 222473 X 1,648,163 11/1927 Childs 222-473 X 2,398,434 4/1946 Mapes 222-469 X 2,650,744 9/1953v Dirksen 222474 X 2,946,484 7/1960 Stoncr 222- 5 3,101,188 8/l963 Newmiller, et a1, 2225 X LOUIS J. DEMBO, Primary Examiner,

RAPHAEL M, LUPO, Examiner. 

5. FLUID CONTAINING AND DISPENSING APPARATUS COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A FLUID RESERVOIR, AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING HAND GRIP HAVING A BASE MOUNTED ON THE TOP OF SAID RESERVOIR, SAID HAND GRIP HAVING AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING FLUID PASSAGE THEREIN WHICH TERMINATES IN A DISCHARGE NOZZLE, A FRANGIBLE SEALING MEMBER FIXED TO THE TOP OF SAID RESERVOIR FOR SEALING SAID RESERVOIR FROM SAID FLUID PASSAGE PRIOR TO DESIRED DISCHARGE OF SAID CONTAINER, AN OPERATING LEVER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED UPON THE HAND GRIP BASE AND MOVABLE TOWARDS SAID HAND GRIP, SAID LEVER HAVING AN ACTUATING ROD DEPENDING THEREFROM, AND A PLUNGER, SAID PLUNGER HAVING A FIRST APERTURE FOR RECEIVING AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING PORTION OF THE FRANGIBLE MEMBER, SAID HAND GRIP BASE HAVING A PLUNGER RECEIVING BORE LYING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE TOP OF SAID FLUID RESERVOIR IN WHICH SAID PLUNGER IS MOUNTED FOR RECIPROCAL MOVEMENT, SAID PLUNGER HAVING A SECOND APERTURE FOR RECEIVING SAID ACTUATING ROD TO ENGAGE AND SLIDINGLY MOVE SAID PLUNGER IN SAID PLUNGER RECEIVING BORE UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID OPERATING LEVER TOWARDS SAID HAND GRIP FOR BREAKING SAID UPWARDLY EXTENDING PORTION OF THE FRANGIBLE MEMBER TO UNSEAL SAID FLUID RESERVOIR. 